Beethoven: String Quartets, Opp.127 & 135

1. String Quartet No. 12 in E flat major, Op. 127
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
with Alban Berg Quartet , Valentin Erben , Thomas Kakuska , Gunter Pichler , Gerhard Schulz

2. String Quartet No. 16 in F major, Op. 135
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
with Alban Berg Quartet , Valentin Erben , Thomas Kakuska , Gunter Pichler , Gerhard Schulz

Tracks:

Quartet, Op. 127 in E flat: Maestoso Allegro
Quartet, Op. 127 in E flat: Adagio Ma Non Troppo E Molto Cantabile
Quartet, Op. 127 in E flat: Scherzando Vivace; Presto
Quartet, Op. 127 in E flat: Finale; Allegro Con Moto
Quartet, Op. 131In C Sharp Minor: Adagio Ma Non Troppo E Molto Espressivo
Quartet, Op. 131In C Sharp Minor: Allegro Molto Vivace
Quartet, Op. 131In C Sharp Minor: Allegro Moderato
Quartet, Op. 131In C Sharp Minor: Andante Ma Nono Troppo E Molto Cantabile
Quartet, Op. 131In C Sharp Minor: Presto
Quartet, Op. 131In C Sharp Minor: Adagio Quasi Un Poco Andante
Quartet, Op. 131In C Sharp Minor: Allegro

Tracks:

Quartet, Op. 130 In B Flat: Adagiio Ma Non Troppo; Allegro
Quartet, Op. 130 In B Flat: Presto
Quartet, Op. 130 In B Flat: Andante con moto ma non troppo
Quartet, Op. 130 In B Flat: Alla Danza Tedesca: Allegro Assai
Quartet, Op. 130 In B Flat: Cavatina: Adagio Molto Espressivo
Grosse Fuge, Op. 133
Quartet, Op. 130: Finale[Rondo]: Allegro

Tracks:

Quartet, Op. 132 In A Minor: Assai Sostenuto; Allegro
Quartet, Op. 132 In A Minor: Allegro Ma Non Tanto
Quartet, Op. 132 In A Minor: Heiliger Dankgesans eines Genesenen an die Gottheit, in der lydischen Tonart; Molto adagio; Neue Kraft f: Andan
Quartet, Op. 132 In A Minor: Alla Marcia, Assai Vivace
Quartet, Op. 132 In A Minor: Allegro Appassionato
Quartet, Op. 135 In F: Allegretto
Quartet, Op. 135 In F: Vivace
Quartet, Op. 135 In F: Lento Assai, Cantante E Tranquillo
Quartet, Op. 135 In F: Der schwer gefasste EntschluSS: Grave, ma non troppo tratto
Quartet, Op. 135 In F: Allegro

Customer Reviews:

Marvelous set.......2007-03-09

First, let me explain my credential. I am NOT a pro, this review wrote by a lover of Beethoven (and late-romantic composers) who have listened over and over many versions of Beethoven's late quartets.

To begin, I cannot praise enough of this set. Having heard of Quartet Italiano, Guarneri, Vegh, samples of others, plus Tokyo String Quartet, I'd say TSQ is the best for Op. 130 & Op. 132. My personal Beethoven favorite is Op. 132 and having heard so many versions of it, only TSQ got it just right. The performance has the right amount of power, grace and dignity at the same time. Op. 132 is a journey. Being written during the time when Beethoven was emotionally depressed, and just recovered from a fatal illness, so it has a lot of what I would like to call "musical autobiography" element to it, as if it's something the composer wanted people to remember him by (but that turned out to be Op. 131). Parallel to his life, Op. 132 has a lot of roller coaster ride feel to it, and TSQ's sound fits that description. It contains very spirit-lifting climax, and very low-down melancholy in the trough.

TSQ's Op. 131 is very good, but I feel it's a little too overpowering (QI is better at that one). This is where TSQ's machine-like precision actually hits them in the foot, despite Op. 132 & 131's thematic structures are similar (this is a literary, rather than musical, interpretation... :-/). TSQ's Grosse Fuge is aimless (a very subjective opinion...). Other than that one, everything else sounds technically excellent.

Beethoven was very specific about his music, so TSQ is right by playing these pieces with techniques rather than giving interpretation (execept Op. 133, which I think it may sound better to my modern ears if /the edge/ is softened, but I think Beethoven might yell at me for that...). Bring out the best of Beethoven is the key here. I see no point reinventing the masterpiece.

Overall, TSQ is at their best with the late quartets. No comment on their middle quartets....

One of the best.......2006-09-27

There are so many recordings of the Late Beethoven quartet set that picking a favorite, I believe, just comes down to personal preferences. For years my favorite had been the Quartetto Italiano, with its warmth and control. Then just recently, I heard the Tokyo Quartet version.

What a difference! More fire and vigor (when required), on the whole, than QI. (Or LaSalle, the other late Beethoven set I have) And there's reverence when required -- a good example of this is the first movement of the Op 132 (A minor), which is frequently played with plenty of Sturm und Drang. The Tokyo version rises above forte in only a few places (like the last few bars), and the rest is *played* relatively calmly, in contrast to the underlying tension of the movement. And the slow movement of the Op 131 (c# minor) is a lovely, long, tranquil afternoon in the park.

But getting back to the fiery part, there is plenty to mention. I'll limit myself to two of the highlights. One is the first section of the massive Grosse Fuge movement. Once they get past the intro, and get to the fugue subject, they turn the intensity to HIGH and leave it there for a full five minutes. You can almost hear the resin flying off of the bows as they dig into each note of the subject. And once all the fugue voices have entered, they maintain that intensity all the way to the contrasting calm F-sharp section. Think of trying to pound on a large nail, with a large hammer, for a full five minutes. Plenty of strength, both physical and mental, is required, and the Tokyo group pulls it off.

I also want to comment on one movement in the rendition of Op 131 that is extremely special, namely the Presto (it's the fifth section, and takes the place of a Scherzo). It is played at a VERY fast tempo, and alternates between an almost-out-of-control fortissimo, and a pianissimo with immense underlying energy.

Right near the end of the movement they achieve a tone I have never heard on ANY recording of any chamber music. I have not seen the score of the quartets, so I do not know whether Beethoven asked for a "sur ponticello" (playing with the bow near the bridge) in the pianissimo passage just before the end of the section. Some quartets merely play the passage pianissimo, some venture their bowings down toward the bridge to give a little bit of an edge. The Tokyo Quartet, however, REALLY pushes the envelope! They play that passage so close to the bridge that it takes on an ethereal, other-wordly air. For that short passage, the instruments simply do not sound like a string quartet. It is impossible to adequately describe in words -- you have to hear it. If you don't get goosebumps, pinch yourself -- you're not really listening. I would buy (actually, have already bought) this box set just for that 15 seconds of unbelievable transcendence.

On the whole, the slow movements are played with a calm, understaded reverence -- and frequently, very little vibrato (e.g. Op. 132). The faster movements are played with a controlled fire, settling down at times to achieve the requisite tension that builds up to the next forte section; at other times bursting into flames.

One last note: I think the "star" of the group (or at least this recording), is Harada, the cellist. He plays with a big, open tone, providing a little more support to the group than the average cellist. But he also knows when to back off and become a perfectly matched equal to the other three.

Highly recommended.

Go with the Guarneri's '68/'69 recording.......2006-02-20

The Tokyo have had many incarnations over their nearly 35 year life and they were never better than this lineup. (Oundjian now only conducts, Ikeda and Isomura are still with the band, and Harada--a brilliant cellist--his wereabouts are unknown to me.)

They are techinically brilliant on these recordings, masterfull, and beautifully harmonious. That said, it's simply not enough. The two knocks on the Tokyo are (1) that they've always been techinically brilliant, but lacked a measure of "emotional truth" (to use Rostropovich's phrase) or musical sensitivity; the second knock is that they've been wildly uneven over the past four or five years (which I can attest to, having heard them live 35-40 times). That's thankfully not the case here; they're rolling along hard and fast like a Nolan Ryan fastball and seamless as an ocean wave.

The problem with their Beethoven cycle from this period (they're now re-recording the middle quartets) is that the pieces don't breath: they're tight, highly wound, and--like some modern architecture--great in conception, but lacking a real human element. It's almost as if a machine were playing.

The Guarneri's cycle from '68/'69 (still available on RCA Victor, but not via Amazon) is the best available rendition still in print. The pieces are played more slowly, they breath, they soar, they reveal the depth and passion of the works. The Guarneri's were also at their peak when these were recorded, and their techinque is nothing short of miraculous. If six stars were an option on this site, I'd give them all six.

One more note: stay away from the Emerson's cycle. Really atrocious.

Simply perfect........2005-11-16

The Tokyo String Quartet is one of my favourites quartets of all time, together with the Alban Berg Quartett and the Arditti Quartet for the modern music. All this three quartets have something in common, a very perfect technical playing, together with a deep and well understood musicality.

From all the Tokyo String Quartet's CDs this is one of my favourites and a jewel in this repertoire, so much that I think this are the better recordings available for Beethoven's late quartets, and I think it will be very, very, very difficult to play them better. Of course you can chose another way of performing this music, like the Mosaiques has shown, with `original instruments', or the Quartetto Italiano in a more classical style, but if we talk about perfection it's quite impossible to make it better. I've analysed this recording with the scores and I can really say it was an outstanding vision of clearness in Tokyo playing, amazing.

Of course, all the quartets are very well done. You can ask for different tempi or more charm in some passages (Melos Qt. Shows a very different possibility in this sense), but those moments based on the most highly technical demand are perfect done, like that jewel of the quartet literature, the "Grosse Fuge" Op.133, that is a lesson of fingering and union in this ensemble. The dynamics are very fine, like the pauses and the different entrances of the instruments, very important in this piece, as it could be a chaos if it's not very well done.

I have listened some other versions (Quartetto Italiano, Melos Quartett, LaSalle Quartett & Alban Berg Quartett I) but when you are used to listen this level of perfection quite all seem to be not enough, even when every quartet can give a view, and that's very important in this abstract and complex music written by Beethoven in his very last years.

The recording is AMAZING and one of the better technically registered that I know for chamber music (if you know another Tokyo String Quartet recordings, or those by the Ensemble Modern for RCA you know what am I talking about). Everything is so clear that you can imagine you have the own players at home if you have a good Hi-Fi system. You can even listen them breathes and the movement of the fingers, the clothes, the chairs, outstanding. This is a key, too, for the great success of this recordings, as perfection become much more real when you listen it in this conditions. Anyway, it's truth all that we listen. I've seen them some years ago playing in A Coruña (Spain) and I had the possibility of talking to them after the concert; we had a grateful chat about this recordings which they think are among them best.

It's a shame that Tokyo String Quartet CDs are really hard to find nowadays, even if they are RCA, DG or Sony recordings. I have all them recordings, but I would like all the people could listen this great musicians playing some of the better chamber music.

A jewel for not to be missed.

The religious approach.......2005-02-07

The Tokyo Quartet plays Beethoven with both reverence and a floating ease and very much sense of the architecture of the music. Yes, it is perfection, but it is something religious about it, like kids playing under stars on the first virgin snow of winter. Listen to their Beethoven gives me a strange feeling of luxury, like enjoying a glass of a well-aged red Bordeaux from one of the better chateaux. Was this Beethoven's intention? I don't know. When you get used to the perfection of the Tokyo Quartet, the imperfection of other quartets becomes unbearable. Quartetto Italiano is more sensual and dramatic, but I cannot get used to the slow feeling of their tempos. A more icy, daring approach is the one of the Takacs. I got the Talich quartet too, and Alban Berg Quartet, but when it comes to late Beethoven, Tokyo is and remains my first choice. (I think the Emerson quartet sounds wonderful, the atmosphere of that quartet's sheer sound - but their high speed ruins my listening.)

Beethoven: String Quartets, Opp. 127 & 132

Average customer rating:

Beethoven: String Quartets, Opp. 127 & 132

Manufacturer: MD&G Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00005UOYS
Release Date: 2002-03-26

Tracks:

String Quartet Op. 127, E Flat Major: Maestoso - Allegro
String Quartet Op. 127, E Flat Major: Adagio Ma Non Troppo E Molto Cantabile - Andante Con Moto - Adagio Molto Espressivo - Tempo I
String Quartet Op. 127, E Flat Major: Scherzando Vivace - Presto - Tempo I
String Quartet Op. 127, E Flat Major: Finale. Allegro Con Moto
String Quartet Op. 132, A Minor: Assai Sostenuto - Allegro
String Quartet Op. 132, A Minor: Allegro Ma Non Tanto
String Quartet Op. 132, A Minor: Heiliger Dankgesang Eines Genesenen An Die Gottheit In Der Lidischen Tonart. Molto Adagio - Neue Kraft Fuhlend. Andante - Molto Adagio - Andante - Molto Adagio
String Quartet Op. 132, A Minor: Alla Marcia, Assai Vivace - Piu Allegro - Presto
String Quartet Op. 132, A Minor: Allegro Appassionato

Beethoven: String Quartets, Opp. 18/3 & 27

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Beethoven: String Quartets, Opp. 18/3 & 27

Manufacturer: Capriccio
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00006AWB4
Release Date: 2002-07-16

Beethoven: String Quartets, Opp. 95 & 127

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Beethoven: String Quartets, Opp. 95 & 127

Manufacturer: Arte Nova Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Classical | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Str Qt Op.95: Allegro Con Brio
Str Qt Op.95: Allegretto, Ma Non Troppo
Str Qt Op.95: Allegro Assai Vivace Ma Serioso. Piu Allegro
Str Qt Op.95: Larghetto Espressivo. Allegro Agitato. Allegro
Str Qt Op.127: Maestoso. Allegro
Str Qt Op.127: Adagio, Ma Non Troppo E Molto Cantabile
Str Qt Op.127: Scherzando Vivace
Str Qt Op.127: Finale

Beethoven: String Quartets, Opp. 127, 131, 132, 135; Minuet from Op. 18, No. 5

Average customer rating:

Supreme Beethoven.
Supreme late Beethoven.
excellent performance and good sound for the period

Beethoven: String Quartets, Opp. 127, 131, 132, 135; Minuet from Op. 18, No. 5

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
ASIN: B0000029VC
Release Date: 1997-06-03

Tracks:

String Qrartet No. 16 In F Major, Op. 135: I. Allegretto
String Qrartet No. 16 In F Major, Op. 135: II. Vivace
String Qrartet No. 16 In F Major, Op. 135: III. Lento assai e cantante tranquillo
String Qrartet No. 16 In F Major, Op. 135: IV. Grave ma non troppo tratto - Allegro
String Quartet No. 14 In C-Sharp Minor, Op. 131: I. Adagio ma non troppo e molto espressivo
String Quartet No. 14 In C-Sharp Minor, Op. 131: II. Allegro molto vivace
String Quartet No. 14 In C-Sharp Minor, Op. 131: III. Allegro moderato
String Quartet No. 14 In C-Sharp Minor, Op. 131: IV. Andante ma non troppo e molto cantabile
String Quartet No. 14 In C-Sharp Minor, Op. 131: V. Presto

Tracks:

String Quartet No. 12 In E-Flat Major, Op. 127: I. Maestoso - Allegro
String Quartet No. 12 In E-Flat Major, Op. 127: II. Adagio, ma non troppo e molto cantabile
String Quartet No. 12 In E-Flat Major, Op. 127: III. Scherzando vivace
String Quartet No. 12 In E-Flat Major, Op. 127: IV. Finale
String Quartet No. 15 In A Minor, Op. 132: I. Assai sostenuto - Allegro
String Quartet No. 15 In A Minor, Op. 132: II. Allegro ma non tanto
String Quartet No. 15 In A Minor, Op. 132: III. Canzona, di ringraziamento, molto adagio
String Quartet No. 15 In A Minor, Op. 132: IV. Alla Marcia, assai vivace
String Quartet No. 15 In A Minor, Op. 132: V. Allegro appassionato
String Quartet No. 15 In A Minor, Op. 132: VI. Adagio quasi un poco andante - Budapest String Quartet
String Quartet No. 15 In A Minor, Op. 132: VII. Allegro - Budapest String Quartet
Minuet From String Quartet In A Major, Op. 18, No. 5 - Budapest String Quartet

Customer Reviews:

Supreme Beethoven........2003-07-10

The Budapest quartet was at its peak in the 1940's, when Sasha Schneider was its full-time second violinist. Their sound was warm, precise, and broadly swinging (listen to the opening of Opus 18, no. 4, for a taste of what I mean). The Guarneri, the Clevland, the Emerson, plus a few others learned about quartet playing from the Budapest, and they have freely acknowledged their indebtedness. Read the story of the Budapest quartet in 'Con Brio', a biography by Nat Brandt, the son-in-law of Boris Kroyt (the Budapest's incomparable violist.)

Here's a way to get a complete set of the 16 Beethoven quartets by the Budapest.

1) Sony 62870 (these 2 CD's). Budapest at its best.
2) Sony 62873, 2 CD's, similar to 1) above, containing all the Late quartets, except #13, and the Grosse Fugue. Budapest at its best.
3) Sony 46545, Sony's Essential Classics, stereo, containing #7 and #8. A very inexpensive CD; over 70 minutes of gorgeous music. Quartet #7 (the Rasumovsky No. 1) was the Budapest's calling card. The recording is 1960 vintage, and Sasha Schneider had rejoined the quartet to again play 2nd violin. The four quartet members were all over 60 years old, but intonation frailties or not, this CD is a treasure, as the music is trade-mark Budapest.
4) Sony 47665, Essential Classics, stereo, containing #9, #10, and the Grosse Fugue. About 75 minutes of music. The same artistic quality as 3) above. Again a treasurable CD despite the frailties.
5) Sony 52531, 2 CD's, containing the 6 Early quartets. Recorded in the 1950's. Jac Gorodetzki played 2nd violin. It's hard for me to recommend these 6 quartets. The mono sound isn't that good, but more importantly, to me, the Budapest sounds different when Sasha Schneider isn't there. On the other hand, you can't get all the 16 quartets without this box.
6) Now only #13 is missing. The only choice is Bridge 9072, 3 CD's, mono, containing all the late quartets, plus the Grosse Fugue. I don't recommend this box either. The sound is sometimes truly horrible, but the playing--recorded live at the Library of Congress--is quite gripping.

It takes a total of 11 CD's to put together a complete set of Beethoven by the Budapest! There are overlaps, and the sound and artistic qualities are variable. Here's hoping one day Sony will stop teasing us and release the definitive Budapest in one inexpensive box.

Supreme late Beethoven........2003-07-10

Late Beethoven quartet playing doesn't come any better than this! It's a shame that these 2 CD's don't include quartet no. 13, and the Grosse Fugue. The recordings come from 78's and are mono. But no apology is needed, the sound is full and ABSOLUTELY VERY GOOD. There's a similar 2-CD Sony set covering the Budapest's traveral of some of the early and middle Beethovens. Together, these 4 Sony CD's are a few notches better than what's offered on Bridge, where the Budapest was recorded live at the Library of Congress. Bridge offers the Budapest on 6 CD's. But there, the sound is sometimes horrible although the playing is no less than gripping.

I'm particularly impressed by quartet no. 14 (Opus 131.) The penatration into the music is as deep as the Busch quartet, but technically, the Budapest plays better. This quartet was at its peak in the 1940's; there was no intonation problem at all.

While you are at it, read the biography of the Budapest quartet as told by Nat Brandt, the son-in-law of Boris Kroyt (the Budapest's violist.)

Buy this Sony set. Highly recommended.

excellent performance and good sound for the period.......1999-08-20

This is an enjoyable set. The performances are excellent, and the sound remarkable considering that this is from 1940-42. I would not make this my first choice for these works, however, because successive generations of string quartets have learned their lessons well. Indeed, Quartetto Italiano, Lasalle(late quartets), Emerson (middle), Vegh (early), and others perform even better.

Beethoven: String Quartets, Opp.127 & 135

Average customer rating:

Wonderful readings in scratchy, shrill sound
Lyricism and Vitality

Beethoven: String Quartets, Opp.127 & 135

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Tracks:

I. Maestoso - Allegro
II. Adagio, Ma Non Troppo E Molto Cantabile
III. Scherzando Vivace
IV. Finale
I. Allegretto
II. Vivace
III. Lento Assai E Cantate Tranquillo
IV. Der Schwer Gefasste Entschluss. Grave (Muss Es Sein?) - Allegro (Es Muss Sein!) - Grave, Ma Non Troppo Tratto - Allegro

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful readings in scratchy, shrill sound.......2007-01-15

I have unreserved admiration for the Alban Berg Qt., and this budget CD derives from their famous firswt cycle of the complete Beethoven quartets. It shows off their amazing virtuosity, tonal beauty, and meshed musical instincts. The arrival of the ABQ on the scene reinvigorated the whole quartet scene in Europe. But their second cycle, recorded in live oncerts, was even more assured and musical. Connoissuers can enjoy comparing the two sets, but it must be said that EMI's low-budget transfers to CD are execreable. The shrillness of the first violin at high volume makes the performance unlistenable, a shame given the ABQ's ravishing beauty of tone. Avoid this CD unless you absolutely can't afford their later versions.

Lyricism and Vitality.......2006-01-03

In the area of recordings of Beethoven's string quartets, there is an abundance of choice, with many of the world's finest string quartet groups having made recordings of the full cycle of the quartets over the years. Having heard Beethoven's string quartets interpreted by the Cleveland Quartet ("CQ") and the Alban Berg Quartet ("ABQ") amongst others, I would say that each of the several outstanding groups whose recordings I've heard brings its own qualities to its interpretations of these works.

As Alan Lekan states in his 01/14/2005 review of the complete Beethoven cycle by the Quartetto Italiano, "competition is fierce and it really comes down to what stylistic nuances most appeal to you." In my own case, while I would probably choose CQ's recordings as my own favorite if I were absolutely forced to, I also greatly enjoy listening to the ABQ.

The CQ's recordings are notable for the tight unity with which the musicians play together, while also providing a crystal clear differentiation of the melodic lines of each instrument. There is a sublime lyrical beauty in their playing and this quality, together with the rich and smooth fullness of their sound, that evokes the dark sheen of highly polished wood, is what distinguishes the CQ from the ABQ.

However, the ABQ is certainly not lacking in depth of feeling or in sensitivity to the lyricism of the adagio movements in the Beethoven string quartets. Their sensitivity is quite evident on this CD in the second movement of String Quartet No. 12 and in the third movement of Sting Quartet No. 16. The sharp clear quality of the ABQ's tone is very much in evidence in these movements, giving it an exquisite and plaintive quality that comes through most clearly in the violins.

In the fourth and final movement of the String Quartet No. 15, which begins with the tempo marking of "Grave," the mood evoked is one of quiet, brooding, desperation, (Muss es sein?) suddenly relieved by the shift to the allegro (Es muss sein!). It is yet another of so many beautiful moments on this CD.

While being enjoyable and even outstanding in the adagio movements, it is in the allegro movements that the qualities and special style of the ABQ are most distinctive for me. In the allegro movements, they play with a visceral energy and the gusto they bring to the music has an invigorating edge. And yet, that same energetic quality is kept in check, never becoming wildly out of control, but always channeled and made to serve the music itself.

If you can afford it, you may well want to buy both of the complete cycles by the CQ and the ABQ, and enjoy listening to their different interpretations. And even if you have a preference for the sound of the CQ, as I do, I would still recommend buying a couple of the individual CDs by the ABQ, in order to have an occasional point of comparison in listening to and enjoying two different performance styles. Since several of the ABQ's recordings of the Beethoven string quartets have now been issued on EMI's budget "Red Line" label, each individual CD, such as this one, is very low-priced and makes this a very feasible option.

Beethoven: Late Quartets, Opp.127,130,131,132,135/Grosse Fuge, Op.133

Average customer rating:

Beethoven Quartet No 15 Op 132
Best performance of Opus 132
Highly recommended. Beats any other performance I've heard.

Beethoven: Late Quartets, Opp.127,130,131,132,135/Grosse Fuge, Op.133

Manufacturer: Everest Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Op. 127 In E-Flat Major: Maestoso -- Allegro - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Op. 127 In E-Flat Major: Adagio, ma non troppo e molto cantabile - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Op. 127 In E-Flat Major: Scherzando vivace - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Op. 127 In E-Flat Major: Finale - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Op. 131 In C-Sharp Minor: Adagio, ma non troppo e molto espressivo - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Op. 131 In C-Sharp Minor: Allegro molto vivace - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Op. 131 In C-Sharp Minor: Allegro moderato - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Op. 131 In C-Sharp Minor: Andante ma non troppo e molto cantabile - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Op. 131 In C-Sharp Minor: Presto - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Op. 131 In C-Sharp Minor: Adagio quasi un poco andante - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Op. 131 In C-Sharp Minor: Allegro - Ludwig Van Beethoven

Tracks:

Op. 130 In B-Flat Major: Adagio ma non troppo - Allegro - L.V. Beethoven
Op. 130 In B-Flat Major: Presto - L.V. Beethoven
Op. 130 In B-Flat Major: Andante con moto ma non troppo - L.V. Beethoven
Op. 130 In B-Flat Major: Allegro assai; Alla danza tedesca - L.V. Beethoven
Op. 130 In B-Flat Major: Cavatina: Adagio molto espressivo - L.V. Beethoven
Op. 130 In B-Flat Major: Finale: Allegro - L.V. Beethoven
Grosse Fuge, Op.133 - L.V. Beethoven

Tracks:

Op. 132 In A Minor: Assai sostenuto - Allegro - L.V. Beethoven
Op. 132 In A Minor: Allegro ma non tanto - L.V. Beethoven
Op. 132 In A Minor: Molto adagio - Andante - L.V. Beethoven
Op. 132 In A Minor: Alla marcia, assai vivace - Allgro appassionato - L.V. Beethoven
Op. 135 In F Major: Allegretto - L.V. Beethoven
Op. 135 In F Major: Vivace - L.V. Beethoven
Op. 135 In F Major: Lento assai, cantante e tranquillo - L.V. Beethoven
Op. 135 In F Major: Der Schwer gefasste Entschluss; Grave, ma non troppo tratto - Allegro - L.V. Beethoven

Customer Reviews:

Beethoven Quartet No 15 Op 132.......2003-02-19

Will Mealiffe's comments suffer from the all too common syndrome of "now I have read the subtitle, I know what the music is about." Beethoven's greatness is that he consistently rises above the material world into levels of consciousness which have little to do with day to day reality, this is an almost Zen way of approaching a plane of existance not of the material world. I find the slow movement of Quartet No 15 Op 132 to be the most transcendent composition in western music (of which I am aware). Beethoven has been said to have gone through the stages of rebellion, acceptance, and transcendence; this slow movement is certainly a brilliant example of the latter. In my opinion, it has nothing whatever to do with sickness and health. Beethoven continually write brilliant, free, powerful music when his daily life was in disarray. It has been said (I do not know by whom) that "music is the most imitative of the arts in that it immitates its original most exactly, that being a state of the soul." The soul which composed the slow movement of Op 132 was truly transcendent.

By the way, this recording is a 4.5 star effort.

Daivd Stevenson

Best performance of Opus 132.......2000-11-06

As a set, the Fine Arts Quartet's performances of the late Beethoven quartets is not my first choice, but their performance of the Opus 132 quartet is the best I've heard. This quartet, like most of Beethoven's music, makes a very direct emotional appeal via the most well-constructed, finely engineered music on every scale from the grandest down to the smallest, ever written. Of the late Beethoven quartets, Opus 127 and especially Opus 131 deservedly have a higher reputation for organic coherence, but the Opus 132 is better than its reputation in that respect. One cannot hear this by listening to the performance of most of the groups who play it, however. The Fine Arts enables the listener to hear how well the piece coheres throughout. It does this partly by consistently capturing a quality that pervades the quartet, namely its sickbed atmosphere. (That will raise a few eyebrows.) This quartet, perhaps even more than the Grosse Fuge (Opus 133), makes a very sustained, direct assault on our sensibilities. Opus 133 throws rocks at its listeners. Opus 132 makes us feel exactly what it is like to be desperately sick in a muggy hospital room. Everything that is most important to us becomes agonizingly, obsessively clear. The slow movement has always been associated with the spiritual qualities that a sick person manifests when recovering from a severe illness. (This is the only movement that some persons, including the late Aldous Huxley, have paid any attention to. That is their mistake.) The slow movement has alternating sections of 2 types roughly subtitled "Sacred hymn of thanksgiving of a recovering patient to the godhead" and "Feeling new strength". The Fine Arts Quartet captures better than any other group the sustained emotional power of the "thanksgiving" and integrates the "feeling new strength" sections into the whole better than other performers. Some will find this performance too intense, too

overpowering, but I find it just right, even down to the exaggerated viola sforzando on the F-above-middle-C in the middle of bar 190 during the climax towards the end of the movement. The viola player picked exactly the right spot to exaggerate. The musical instincts of the Fine Arts Quartet are invariably excellent on this performance. The players never sound "mannered" like many quartets: all the Fine Art's expressiveness is well placed. This is true also of the other movements. The sickroom-quality is apparent in the 2nd movement (Allegro ma non tanto) as well, this time as obsessive, compulsive repetition of the melodic fragments of the scherzo. Most performances of this movement are truly boring, picking a tempo that is either too slow, or overcompensating for the repetition by playing it too fast, or by trying to mask the repetition by adopting various mannerisms. The Fine Arts simply finds the right tempo, and lets the obsessive repetition speak for itself. It works. The heavenly hurdy-gurdy of the trio section is also finely played. I'll just end by saying that the other movements are played just as well. The Fine Arts bring out the tense, anxious qualities of the 1st movement, and they bring out the downright swampy quality of the last movement. A performance not to be missed.

Highly recommended. Beats any other performance I've heard........1999-05-04

First heard this group in the 60s. I've been eagerly awaiting this re-release on CD and got me a copy as soon as I heard it was out. The performance of Op 131 is exquisite, in my opinion surpassing the Budapest or Julliard quartets, which were the standard bearers of the day. Quartets like the Lindsey sound anemic compared to the life and freshness the Fine Arts Quartet bring to the music. The Guarneri and the Tokyo quartet performances on CD were better, but still left me unsatisfied. Thank you Everest for putting out this wonderful set.

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